We carried out a review of the data available to us about North Park on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about North Park, you can give feedback on this service.
About the service
North Park is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to 55 older people and people living with dementia at the time of our inspection. The service can support up to 60 people in one adapted building over three floors.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and their relatives told us they felt safe and secure living at North Park and feedback was positive about the home and the management of the home. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests, the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Medicines were administered, recorded and managed safely. Infection prevention control practices were in place. All essential visitors had to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Additional cleaning of all areas and frequent touch surfaces was in place and recorded regularly by staff. COVID-19 related training was in place to support infection control practices.
There were systems in place for communicating with people, their relatives and staff regarding people’s care and support. The environment was clean, safe and maintained to a good standard. It was also adapted to meet people’s needs.
Individualised risk assessments were in place to ensure people could take risks safely. Staff were confident about how to raise concerns to safeguard people. Robust recruitment and selection procedures ensured suitable staff were employed safely.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 11 December 2019).
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
We found the following examples of good practice:
• Systems were in place to prevent people, staff and visitors from catching and spreading infections. All visitors had to wear appropriate PPE, provide evidence of a current negative COVID-19 test, complete a health declaration form and have their temperature checked prior to entering the home. Additional cleaning of all areas and frequent touch surfaces was being carried out.
• The provider was following national guidance for anyone moving into the home. Staff worked closely with healthcare professionals to ensure appropriate and safe admissions procedures were being followed. We saw the service ensured people's belongings where possible were brought to the home prior to the person so they could be isolated for 72 hours. This meant people had their possessions available to them as soon as they arrived at the home.
• Staff supported people’s social and emotional wellbeing. The manager told us how people living at the service were resilient and were very engaged with updates about COVID-19. The home had a visiting pod which was well utilised and had stringent cleaning measures to ensure people were kept safe. The provider and staff kept family members up to date about the latest guidance and their relative’s health via regular telephone calls, letters and social media.
• Staff wellbeing was a priority and the provider and manager ensured staff received appropriate guidance and support. All staff, including catering and housekeeping staff had undertaken additional training in infection prevention and control. This included putting on and taking off PPE, hand hygiene and other COVID-19 related training.
• There was a robust communication system on place to ensure staff received consistent updates in relation to infection control policy and practice.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
North Park is a care home which provides residential care for up to 60 people. Care is primarily provided for older people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 56 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Staff were committed to delivering a service which was person-centred. The manager had been in post for three months and staff reported they had made a very positive impact on the service, staff morale and the quality of life people experienced. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. The activities coordinator provided a range of opportunities for people to engage in meaningful activities.
Staff took steps to safeguard people and promoted their human rights. Incidents were dealt with appropriately and lessons were learnt, which helped to keep people safe. The manager and staff clearly showed people were valued and respected. Staff actively promoted equality and diversity within the home.
People's health and social care needs were assessed. The provider was in the process of reviewing the assessment tools, as staff supported people to manage their healthcare needs and promoted their wellbeing. When necessary, external professionals were involved in people’s care. The cook had received a range of training around meeting people's nutritional needs. Staff supported people to eat varied appetizing meals. Medicine was administered in a safe manner.
Thorough checks were completed prior to staff being employed to work at the service. Staff had received appropriate training and supervision. The provider had enabled staff to access a varied and extensive range of condition specific training. The manager understood how to investigate and resolve complaints.
The service was well run. Systems were in place, which effectively monitored how the service operated and ensured staff delivered appropriate care and treatment.
For more details, please see the full report which is on CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
Good (report published 3 May 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.
The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
We found the top floor which catered for people living with dementia needed a review of the environment as the communal corridor looked tired. We noted improvements could be made to the design features and adaptations to support people who were living with dementia and we made a recommendation to the registered provider to this effect.
Staff understood the procedure they needed to follow if they suspected abuse might be taking place. Risks to people and the home environment were identified and plans were put in place to help manage the risk and minimise them occurring. Medicines were managed safely with an effective system in place. Staff competencies, around administering medication, were regularly checked.
There were sufficient staff employed to meet the needs of people who used the service. We found that safe recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff began work.
People were supported by a regular team of staff who were knowledgeable about people’s likes, dislikes and preferences. A comprehensive training plan was in place and all staff had completed up to date training. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare professionals and services. People received the support they needed from the G.P and community matrons. Where needed, referrals were made to dietician or speech and language therapy.
People’s care plans described the care and support they needed. Care plans detailed people’s needs and preferences. People we spoke with were not always aware they had a care plan in place and we noted some care plans could be improved to reflect a more person centred approach consistently across the service.
The registered provider had a system in place for responding to people’s concerns and complaints. People were regularly asked for their views and the registered manager was a regular presence around all areas of the home.
The staff team were motivated and enthusiastic and committed to ensuring people were well cared for. All staff informed us they were happy working at the home and morale was good. There was a clear management structure in place and oversight from the registered provider. There were systems in place to monitor the safety and drive the continuous improvement of the quality of the service.
The provider was meeting the conditions of their registration. They were submitting notifications in line with legal requirements. They were displaying their previous CQC performance ratings at the service and on their website.
The inspection visit took place on the 6th and 7th November 2014 the first day was unannounced.
We last inspected North Park on 21st October 2013 and found the service was not in breach of any regulations at that time.
The service provides accommodation for up to 60 older people. North Park provides residential care alongside care for people living with dementia. The home is situated in Darlington and is near to all local amenities and is a modern, purpose-built facility with views over a local park.
There is a manager in post who is registered with CQC. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
There were policies and procedures in place in relation to the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivations of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The manager had the appropriate knowledge to know when an application should be made and how to submit one. This meant people were safeguarded. We found the location to be meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
People told us they felt safe at North Park and that staff were always kind towards them. We saw people being given choices and encouraged to take part in all aspects of day to day life at the home, from helping to set the table for lunch to being involved in changing the system of mealtimes which was discussed with everyone prior to its implementation.
Relatives told us they were provided with information about their relative and involved with the care planning process. We also saw how people were involved in participating in their monthly care review, for one person with dementia, this was done sensitively and knowledgably by the member of staff concerned.
We saw that staff were recruited safely and were given appropriate training before they commenced employment. Staff told us about how training in dementia had helped them understand more from the person’s perspective about living with this condition. There were sufficient staff on duty to meet the needs of the people and the staff team were very supportive of the managers and each other. Retention of staff at this home was very good.
We saw people’s care plans were personalised and had been well assessed. Staff told us they referred to care plans regularly and they showed regular review that involved the person if they were able.
Staff told us they felt listened to and were able to talk to the managers and relatives and people who lived at the service also confirmed the management was approachable and accessible.
We witnessed two care staff providing very gentle and sensitive support for someone who was at the end of life.
There was a specialist unit on the top floor of the home which catered for people with dementia. The environment had been specially adapted by the use of colour coded doors, reminiscence shops and memory boxes on doors to help people find their way around and to feel comfortable in their surroundings. We noted that some of the dementia specific d'cor was looking 'tired' but the manager showed us replacement pictures she had sourced and was waiting for them to be replaced by maintenance staff.
There were sufficient staff on duty to support people for their care needs. We saw staff were recruited safely and appropriate checks were obtained and induction training provided.
We saw the provider had a quality monitoring process in place to check the quality of the service, which included seeking the views of people and their relatives. There was also a system for reporting and acknowledging complaints which was well publicised around the home.
There was a specialist unit on the top floor of the home which catered for people with dementia. The environment had been specially adapted by the use of colour coded doors, reminiscence shops and memory boxes on doors to help people find their way around and to feel comfortable in their surroundings.
We had lunch in one of the dining rooms and saw staff spend time with people and they supported them with dignity and respect. People were assisted to make clear choices at lunch by staff showing them the options for the main meal already plated on small serving plates. There were sufficient staff on duty to support people for their care needs and there was a training and supervision programme in place for all staff. We spoke with relatives and visitors to the home who were very positive in their comments and about the care their relatives received. One person told us; 'My mum is much more content here than where she was before' and 'If I have any problems I raise them and I know they will be dealt with'.